Do you give your phone # to stores???

[BigDave]

I'm not joking.

Wouldn't having one number for one person make credit report problems less likely? I haven't had any credit report problems in the past 20+ years that I have been queried from my SSN on numerous transactions. Last check had my FICO at 795. It started in the Navy, my SSN was my serial number and it was used for EVERYTHING. This may sound a bit radical to some, but I'm in favor of a national ID card. You are who you are and that's it.

 

[Bird]

Dave, I suspect all our social security numbers are out there so many places that giving it one more place won't make a lot of difference. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif Last week a neighbor gave me a check for just $15 and I later cashed it at her bank instead of mine because it was much closer. I went to the drive-in window and presented the check and my drivers license to start with, and the cashier asked for my social security number before cashing the check. That was a new one to me.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Dave & Bird, I started this thread and now have been watching as it morphed and I guess I see the SS# issue differently than the telephone number issue so let me weigh in with a different perspective. I don't give out my phone number becauase the only people I want calling me are my relatives or friends. They have my number and that is fine. When I get home I want to be left alone with my family, I don't want telephone solicitations, I don't want random calls, etc. I want my privacy at home.

ON THE OTHER HAND, the SS# issue is something that I view differntly because it is simultaniously MORE and LESS intrusive. With my SS# you cannot call me and pester me (again the reason I don't give out my phone #). But you can dig into my credit --both for legitimate and illigetimate reasons. You can probably find my address if you have my SS#, but then if you do, and you are a business, I doubt you'll send someone out to knock on my door to try to sell me something. Giving my phone # has led to businesses selling the phone number to telemarketers. Giving my SS# has not led to an increase in solicitations on my doorstep. So I will, for some services, give my SS# number (like to the insurance company), but I am selective about that. Just my perspective on the current topic.

 

[rozett]

After 30 years in the computer industry, I have come to the conclusion that most people do not really appreciate how prolific and dangerous the personal information databases are. With a very few exceptions, there are few laws protecting that information. Insurance companies are free to sell that information to anyone they wish.... and some do.

The federal government now requires that any organization with personal information must have a published privacy policy. But in fact, that is absolutely useless because all they need to do to change the policy is publish a new one. Consumers that provide information, willingly or not, have no recourse when that happens.

As an example, I used to purchase a lot of books from Amazon.com. Amazon had a published privacy policy that said they would not share your information with anyone. One day they changed their business model to partner with other firms and begin selling things other than books (like cookware, etc). They published a new policy saying that they would share your personal information with their business partners. So Amazon gave all of their business partners my CC numbers, spending habits, and lists of the kind of books I bought. As the consumer, I had no recourse. Now, I will not buy anything from Amazon, nor any company that advertises that they are partnered with Amazon.

Another example, a couple of years ago, during the dot.com bust, there was one company in California that was in bancrupcy and the only thing left of value was their customer database. There was a big legal battle because the creditors were trying to sell it for maximum value. while some of the customers were trying to protect their info.

Given your SS number and a day or two, I can find out an awful lot of information about you... including what autos you drive, where you bank, where your kids live, etc, etc. am just very protective of private information because once you provide it, you have no control over where it goes.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="green"> Given your SS number and a day or two, I can find out an awful lot of information about you... including what autos you drive, where you bank, where your kids live, etc, etc. </font>

And that is why I have my credit cards billing address as a PO Box # and use my office as my "ship to" address. I doubt if you could STOP a determined person from getting just about anything and everything. But you can slow down, deter, frustrate and make it non cost effective for legitimate businesses to track you down for the purposes of solicitation.

 

[BigDave]

I guess I'm not too concerned about protecting my privacy. Ring my phone, it's my choice to answer or not. If someone calls and caller ID doesn't say Grandma or something like that, I'm not answering. Knock on my door, again it's my choice to answer or not. If two young males wearing white shirts and ties are at the door, I'm not answering. Send me spam, and my filters will remove it. Even if the spam gets through, if I don't know the sender, then it's getting deleted unopened. Put me on lists & send me your catalogs, I actually like catalogs. If I don't like it, I'll put in the recycle bin. If you send me a letter with a return address that I don't know, it's getting recycled unopened. I figure it's nearly impossible from keeping the world from knowing who you are today, but it's my choice if I choose to not to acknowledge the uninvited guests.

 

[neilly2]

I'm proud of your fico score, but credit worthiness was not the point of the post.

Exactly, you'd think one number = one person. Try having a SS# one digit different from someone with a similar name. I spent 4 years clearing that one up. I know three other people that have had that happen.

You can post your SS# for all I care, but I was just giving you a friendly warning. You may be mellow regarding visitors/callers but if a criminal gets that SS# you can kiss that 795 fico score goodbye.

 

[BIGUN]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Last week a neighbor gave me a check for just $15 and I later cashed it at her bank instead of mine because it was much closer. I went to the drive-in window and presented the check and my drivers license to start with, and the cashier asked for my social security number before cashing the check. That was a new one to me. )</font>

I went to cash a check from the sale of a truck at the buyer's bank. I don't remember if they wanted a SS# but I was sure surprised to be fingerprinted before they would give me the cash. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[Junkman]

[quote
I went to cash a check from the sale of a truck at the buyer's bank. I don't remember if they wanted a SS# but I was sure surprised to be fingerprinted before they would give me the cash. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif )</font>

She recogonized you from your picture hanging in the post office. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Bird]

Yep, Bigun, a few years ago my Matco Tool distributor brother had a commercial account at a big bank and he wrote me a check for some air tools I'd repaired for him, I went to the drive-in window to cash it, and they told me I'd have to come inside to cash it, so I did, and they wanted just one thumb print.